The present invention relates to simulation apparatus which indicates emotions. More specifically, the present invention involves derivation and/or measurement of quantities analogous to emotions in simulation apparatus.
Mankind's desire to more fully know itself and to solve personal and interpersonal problems is age old. The Judeo-Christian tradition has for centuries grappled with the complexities of life alone and in relationship and offers a vision of historically unfolding triumph of vital life in which every human creative power may participate. At the present historical moment the passionless life is feeling the influence of passionate yearnings and awarenesses. A new awareness of the emotional life and of the potentialities of relationship is abroad. Concepts of emotion and even emotionally "hot" cognition are in ferment in the intellectual world.
In recent years the search for emotional understanding has been extended into the area of simulation apparatus having features which provide information about personal and interpersonal behavior. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,750 issued to P. E. Viemeister on July 31, 1973, illustrates a type of electronic simulator of human behavior including logic circuitry which is selectively adjustable to represent human characteristics on a relative value scale. Encoded representations of human situational stimuli are inputted to the simulator through a card reader. Visual output indicators represent a plurality of different behavioral responses to the input stimuli.
Multiple position switches are set to various needs, emotions, fears, loves, and attitudes. In this manner the ways in which various stimuli and emotions affect decisions are made more evident.
In the present inventor's own work, decision-making and interpersonal relationship simulation have been important concerns. See his U.S. Pat. Applications "Simulation Apparatus" Ser. No. 580,308 filed May 23, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,142, issued July 27, 1976, and "Apparatus for Simulation of Interpersonal Relationships and Activity" Ser. No. 628,830 filed Nov. 4, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,525, issued Mar. 1, 1977.
However, an aspect of human experience is that many emotions seem to be related to or even caused by situations, stimuli, attitudes, and other emotions. Furthermore, many emotions can have continuously varying degree so that means other than multiple position switches would be preferable for demonstrating them. On the other hand, emotions are known to change abruptly. These considerations lead to a problem: How can simulation apparatus be configured so that emotional analogs are measured within a simulation apparatus itself? How can a simulation machine be constructed so that it produces or derives quantities or indications that can be considered analogous to or indicative of emotions in living beings?